Various types of services and access networks, including fixed subscriber connections such as digital subscriber line- or cable-based connections, and mobile connections such as cellular radio access networks, are used to access internet protocol (IP)-based packet data networks such as the Internet, enterprise intranets, and virtual private networks (VPNs). Wireless devices, such as cellular or mobile smart phones and feature phones, tablet computers, and laptop computers, may initiate or otherwise transmit a signal at the designated frequency to the base station to initiate a call or data session and begin transmitting data. As another example, a network service provider offers services to subscribers that access a service provider core network using an access network.
The service provider network may support multiple types of access network infrastructures that connect to service provider network access gateways to provide access to the offered services. Access gateways are positioned near the edge of the service provider network upstream from the subscribers and provide access for the subscriber connections (such as digital subscriber line- or cable-based connections) into the service provider network. The access gateways typically provide mechanisms for identifying subscriber traffic and providing subscriber-specific services. The access gateways apply subscriber policies to manage subscriber traffic on a per-subscriber basis as such traffic traverses the service provider core network boundary.